Hydrausjc excavator



'No Model. 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- W. P. RICE.

- 'HYDRAULIG EXGAVATOR. 7 No. 396,112. Patented Jan. 15, 1889.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. P. RICE.

HYDRAULIC EXGAVATOR.

No. 396,112, Patented Jan. 16, 1889'.

(No Model.)

4 sheets-sheets.

Patent-ed Jan. 15, 1889.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

W. P. RICE.

HYDRAULIC EXGAVATOR.

Patented Jan. 15

anion fil'inney NI I S ATE VVALTER PERCIVAL RICE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

HYDRAULEC EXCAVATOR.

SBEGIFI'CATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 396,112, dated January 15, 1889 Application on June 4,1888. Serial No. 278,042. on model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER PERCIVAL RICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Excavators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hydraulic 6X03. vators in which is provided an induction-pipe capable of vertical elevation and lowering to adapt it to. varying depths for doing its work or for raising it out of the water,-a1so having horizontal-swinging movement-s, whereby a wide swath or area of excavation maybe performed. g

The excavation is performed by forcibly-induced currents of water creating a suction into the mouth of the induction-pipe and through the same, whereby the loosened sand and earth are conveyed into the vessel or scow to which said induction-pipe is attached, and upon which the mechanism iscontained and the power is derived for operating the same.

.The invention consists. of peculiar mechanism constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinafter descrihed,'and pointed out in the claims.

It consists,..first, in the peculiar construction and'arrangement of the turn-table connecting the induction-pipe with the vessel or scow, whereby the induction-pipe may have a horizontal-swinging movement, and a mechanism for imparting such movement thereto; second, in the peculiar construction and arrangement of a joint in the induction-pipe forced through the induction-pipe and conveyed into the scow; fourth, in providing a central longitudinal sluiceway in the bottom of the scowin connection with the aforesaid induction-pipe at the stern, and into which the sand andloosened earth are conveyed, andfrom which they are lifted and discharged near the how into other scows or receptacles by means of centrifugal pumps or other suitable lifting apparatus; fifth, in the means of moving the dredge along as the-work of dredging progresses.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure '1 is an end elevation of my newly-invented hydraulic excavator as seen in working order. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the vessel or-scow, showing the central sluiceway through the same. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the same. ,Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section through the trunnions of the turn-table. Fig. 8 is a vertical andlongitudinal section of the turn-table and vertical joint of the induction-pipe connected therewith. Fig. 9 is a vertical section through.

the foot' or drag. Fig. 10 is a transverse section on line9 9 of Fig. 9, showing the structure of the internal mechanism. Fig. 11 is a view of the joint of one of the walking-spuds.

A is a scow, through the central portion of which is made a sluiceway, B. To the stern of said scow is attached a large pipe, C, by means of a turn-table jointhaving a passage way through it in line with and connecting it with the said sluiceway B. Said pipe C also has a joint, D, by means of which it may be lowered into and raised out of the water. The turn-table joint for giving sidewi'se-swinging movements to the induction-pipe C is constructed as follows:

D is a strong-square iron frame secured firmly to the stern of the scow directly over the open entrance into the sluiceway B; vIt has journal-boxes d d, one at the upper side and one at the lower side and at the middle part of the frame.

D is a round drum-shaped. boxfitted to turn in the said frame on center. trunnions, d (P, as seen in Figs. 3 and 6. To the outside of said drum D is provided an opening with a flange, d to, which a neck, D, is bolted, leading into the drum, through which the water and earth pass by an opposite opening into the sluiceway B..

i E is a shell having straight sides and. top and a curved bottom, the arc of which has its center at the hingeE? It also has a flange by whichit isbolted to the said neck D. I

F is also a shell of like form to that of E,

and is hinged at E to play within the shell Fig. 5 is a top view of the turn-tables E. It also has a flange towhich the pipe 0 is bolted. It will thus be seen that the pipe (I may be lowered or raised on the said hinged joint, and also have lateral movements at the turn-table joint without breaking the continuity of the said pipe 0 with the sluiceway.

The scow is provided with a derrick, G, and a boom, G and suitable block-and-tackle mechanism for supporting and raisingorlowering the outer end of said pipe on the said hinged joint. The scow also has verticallyadjustable outriggers II I-I,with which suitable blocks and tackle are connected with the pipe C and power mechanism aboard the scow, for the purpose of operating the said pipe C in its side-swinging movements.

The lower end of the pipe (1 is provided with a foot or drag, 0 having an expanded base broad at the heel and narrow at the toe.

By the side of the pipe C are attached two pipes, I J, connected by hose or other suitable means with powerful force-pumps on board the scow, and having their lower ends terminating with suitable nozzles contained within the foot or drag. -K represents one of said nozzles, which leads to and discharges into the axis of the pipe 0 for creating a current upward within said pipe.

L represents the termination of second or boring water-pipe, consisting of a pipe, M, located longitudinally in the base of the foot and provided with jet-nozzles N N along its under side. They are set diagonally and at alternate angles, as seen in Fig. 10, so that the streams issuing therefrom will, while cut ting the earth and loosening the same, be deflected and turned upward and aid the induction-current in' directing the loosened earth .into the pipe 0. At the toe end of said pipe Lis provided a forwardly-turned nozzle, 0,

designed to be used in cutting and disintegrating clay. \Vhile this nozzle is being used the others may be closed by having caps screwed onto their open ends. The nozzle 0 is to be closed in like manner while the others are in use. The purpose of these is to provide for both loose or hard earth.

At the sides of the base of the foot are provided hinged plow-teeth T T, which serve to plow and cut up the earth as the pine is moved from side to side. Said plowteeth have trip per-arms U attached to them; so that as the foot moves from side to side the said teeth will be raised or lowered, those on the forward side of the moving foot being raised up and allow the foot to ride over the bottom, while those on the rear side of the moving foot are thrown down and catch into the earth, loosl ening the same and forming a wall against the ingress of free water from that side of the foot. The sides of the foot are provided with upwardly-curved wings V, which enables the foot to ride up onto and over obstruct-ions, as stones and the like.

In the bow of the scow is provided a door for the discharge of the su lus water. Near the forward part of the sluiceway is made a depression in the floor, and from which the sand and earth will lodge, as the force of the current of water and earth will then be about spent, and from which the sand and earth may be pumped out by suitable centrifugal or other pumps and deposited on shore or into other scows.

The scow is secured in position by means of spuds on thesides and at the how. The spuds I P on each side of the scow are attached by means of a peculiar joint (shown in detached view in Fig. 11) in such a manner that they may be tilted and allowed to dragwhile moving the scow forward. Onthc scow is placed a cross-shaft, S, turning in suitable boxes and provided with pinions p on its ends overhanging the sides of the scow. Upon the end of said shaft are placed triangular frames Q Q, through which the spuds I play, in the three corners of which are provided friction-rollers q q. On the side of the spuds next to the shaft is placed a rack, R, meshing with the aforesaid pinions p, by means of which the spuds may be raised when required by rotating the said shaft, it being connected with suitablepower mechanism for that purpose. At the bow is also attached an ordinary spud, P.

For moving the dredge along as the work progresses a Windlass and drum, Z, on the forward part of the scow are used, and an anchorline, Y, wound upon said drum, is secured to some suitable object or anchored in the bed of the stream at a suitable distance in advance of the scow, and thereby the dredge may be hauled along. y

In pulling the'dredge the forward spud is raised, while the two side ones remaindown for the purpose of steadying the dredge and keeping it from swinging sidcwise. They will, however, drag, as shown in dotted lines, in Fl 11. lVhen the dredge has been moved the required distance, the forward spud is again dropped, and the two side ones are then raised by means of the pinions on the shaft into a perpendicular position and again dropped, or they may be allowed to remain fixed at any angle and dragged at opt-ion. By this means much time is saved, for while the dredge is at work the forward spud can be raised and the scow got all ready to move by the time the excavation is completed and the scow requires moving again.

Having described my invention, what I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In hydraulic excavators, the combination,

with a scow having a sluiceway, of an induc-- tion-pipe attached to the scow and leading into said sluiceway by means of a turn-table joint consisting of drum D set in the frame D and having trunnions (P (F, playing in boites d d on said frame, by which said induction-pipe may have imparted to it a sideswinging motion, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In hydraulic excavators, the combination,

IIO

ITS

with a scow having a sluiceway, of an induction-pipe attached to the scow and leading intosaid sluiceway by means of a turn-table joint, substantially as above described, and

a second joint consisting of shell E, attached to a neck, D of the drum 1), and the shell F, hinged at E to the shell E and having the induction-pipe O secured to said shell F, whereby the induction-pipe may have vertical movements imparted to it, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In hydraulic excavators, the combination, with the induction -.pipe C,ha vii,i gqthe opew foot 0 ,015 the pipes I J, leading into sa'idfoot C from a force-pump on thescow, one of said pipes being curved and provided with a 1102- zle, K, and discharging into the axis of pipe 0 for inducing a current upward therein,andz

the other pipe curved and terminating in lower middle portion of the footO and pro-' vided with downwardly-projecting jet-nozzles a purpose set forth.

N N, for disintegrating the earth, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purposespecifiedi.

4. In hydraulic excavators, the combination, with a .scow having a'sluiceway provided therein, of aninduction-pipe connected with said, sluiceway by means of a turn-table joint,

whereby said pipe is'swung' from side to side, a hinge-joint whereby it is' alsoraised and lowered, pipes connected with force-pumps on the scow and leading into the foot, said foot, having the. plow-points and the nozzles, and a -lnechanism-='for imparting a swinging move- .ment to the induction-pipe, all arranged to operate substantially as described, and forthe \VALTER PERCIVAL RICE.

\Vitness'es: y

Geo. W. TIBBITTS,

REYNOLDS, J r 

